Elastic wheel



LoN nIcHA, or AN'TwERRUBELe-rmvi.

, fELAs'rIc WHEEL.

To all whom it may con/'cem v Be itknown that I, LoN MICHA, a subject ofthe King of the Belgians, residing 'at Antwerp, Belgium, haveinvented newv and useful Improvements in Elastic Vheels,

of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its' object yan elastic wheel,lwhi'ch, having the properties and advantages of pneumatic tyres, is suitable to take the place of such `tyres on vehicles.l 1 l Many attempts have already been made to provide a substitute for pneumatic tyres,` in" order to avoid'all inconveniences connected with the use of same, 'such as forinstanceA the bursting or the tearing or wearing, of the cover, or the risks ofthe same becoming 'punctured, and the like.

Most of the known constructions intended Ito'replace pneumatic Vtyres require the use of springs of different shapes and varieties;

all these constructions, however have the great disadvantage that the springs are liable to rupture and to irregularities in their operation. Y y t The object of my presentinvention is a wheel which avoids and removes these drawbacks 'connected with pneumatic tyres; the characteristic feature of my said invention consists therein, that the elastic tyre isdis posed ona' frame-work, allowing'the same to keep its circular shape, and to remain substantially concentric with respect to the felloe of the wheel in various circumstances.

To this end, the elastic tyre, put on `the felloe of the wheel is held on the same concentricallyv by means of a metallic framework. The said frame-work comprises a plurality of inclinable frames extending between the felloe and tyre each at an angle to the corresponding radius of the wheel, said frames each having one end pivotally con' nected to the felloe andthe other endpivotally connected to the tyre, while the eX- tent of the movement or travel of said frames in relation to the felloe may be limited by pins or any other suitable means.

Specficationof Letters Patent.y 1922. Application filed November 27, 1914. SerialNo. 874,277, Y L

i lin the drawing 4a@designatesyawlieelfof 'any suitable?construction', fthe felloe`l b of wnichjcarries an elastic, compressible tyre 'g of'which the inner diameter is` ylargerthan the `,outer f diameter' of.v said felloe,- 'and which is maintained in position in-relation' tothe ajnNroFfFicE. j

latter byy means of'ja'jnumbe'r of inclinable i' frames 'c each `comprisingfa' pair of links `ey pivotally connected atone end to the fel'loe .7) by means of v a pin el landat the other; end to the tyre g Vby means of a pin ff' *f f 4.These frames c 'are spaced jea'ch i other'fa't such 'distancens'lto ensure' to the tyre :fg its circula-r shape;and'to'se'curethe same concentrica'lly in relation tothefelloe b; but owing-to lthe,dispositionofthe"pins 7L', they 'are at the same Atime:subjectedftofan L inclination in relationjto thdirec'tioniof the spokes of'the'fwheel and' they wheel is owing to lthis Varrangement,suspended-in the clination of the frames 'c'.

The aforesaid 'pins it' may be'ada'pted` to .i l'form suitablek abutinent's' to f 'limit fthel Yinn j Vlfashersfpy and'7*aref 'insertedjbetween.the ysides 'of 'the tyrev 'g' and `of the "felloe b respectively and the adjacent ends of the i links e, and if desired a second and thinner Washer may be inserted between each washer 7), r and said ends of ythe'linksl e. This arrangement makes it possible by oiling or j f lubricating only the contacting surfaces-of this thinner washer 'and the washers p, 7'

and the ends of the links c, to obtain a good lubrication of the connections atthe endsl of said links e without vhaving a greasy surface in contact tyre g.

The effect obtained by the above described arrangement is the following:

the centre'of the wheel,'while the framework c adjacent the point of contact with tion inrelation to the spokes.

with the mate/rial of lthe yloo the road willjtakea strongly inclined posi-v Y lThe Vother frames will more or yless follow `i the circle formedby the elastic band g will decrease, and every point ofy the elastic tyre will be compressed in itself betweenl each one of the successive frames 0 and the next.

T he samemovement of parts and the same effect is naturally lattained, if the wheel meets some obstacle on its way. .l

`this tendency of inclination, and the circumference, and therefore the diameterl ofif ifi@ lln such a case the inclinable frame which is nearest the road surface will take a still more inclined position, whereby a further and stronger circumferential contraction of the compressible tyre will be caused.

The obstacle having been passed, the elasticity of the tyre will cause a circumferential expansion of the. latter, equal to its contraction on: meeting the obstacle, to take place, andthe frames c, leaving the still more inclined position referred to above, will return to their normal inclined position.

Practical experience has shown that' the circumferential contraction or compression exercised upon the tyre is not uniform on vthewhole length of the circumference of the said tyre nor on they totality of its periphery, andvthat the greatest compression takes place in the neighborhood ofthe point where f the power which produceslthe deformation is exerted. It has further been found that at the point situated at the opposite end of the diameter anI easy temporary deformation of the tyre is produced,

but that the tyre immediately regains its circular shape. t y

Y The construction illustrated may be varied cent ends ofthe aforesaidfranfies, substan- .u

tially as described. y Y

2. lnlan elastic wheel, an elastic tyre spaced from the felloeof theywheel, in combin-ation with. a pluralityl of inclinable frames yextending. between the said felloe and ,V

the said elastic tyre leach at an angle to the corresponding` radi-us, pivotal connectionsbetween the felloe and the rim portion of the tyre Eand the` respectively :adjacent ends of the inclinable frames, and vabutment pins l secured, on tliefelloe and adapte'd'to set the initial inclination of thesaid-y frames and to in any convenient way, especially as far l as the construction of the frame-work, the

pins limiting the inclination of the frames, l.;

and the pivotal connection of the latter to the felloe of the wheel or their connect-ion to the elastic tyre are concerned.

The elastic tyre itself may be'carried out limit the amplitude diy-.their movement, .substantially described.. K

Intestiinlony whereof l atlixmy signature :y m

y in presence of two witnesses.

p p LON MICHA. llVitnesses: 4 y f t WILHELM PATALLY, Gr. nlvANs HUBBARD. 

